Senna more than just an F1 driver to Brazilians

FILE - In this May 12, 1990, file photo, Brazilian driver Ayrton Senna sprays champagne on the photographers to celebrate his career's 30th victory at the Monaco Formula One Grand Prix May 12, 1990. Brazil’s adoration of Ayrton Senna transcends sports. It’s something only someone like Pele can relish in the country of football. When hundreds of thousands of people lined up for hours just to take a final glimpse of Ayrton Senna’s body before his funeral, they were paying tribute to more than a three-time Formula One champion. They were saying farewell to arguably the country’s greatest sporting idol. (AP Photo/Lionel Cironneau,File)
The Associated Press

FILE - In this May 12, 1990, file photo, Brazilian driver Ayrton Senna sprays champagne on the photographers to celebrate his career's 30th victory at the Monaco Formula One Grand Prix May 12, 1990. Brazil’s adoration of Ayrton Senna transcends sports. It’s something only someone like Pele can relish in the country of football. When hundreds of thousands of people lined up for hours just to take a final glimpse of Ayrton Senna’s body before his funeral, they were paying tribute to more than a three-time Formula One champion. They were saying farewell to arguably the country’s greatest sporting idol. (AP Photo/Lionel Cironneau,File)

FILE - In this May 31, 1992 file photo, Brazilian driver Ayrton Senna raises his fist to salute the crowd after he won the Monaco Formula One Grand Prix on his McLaren-Honda. Brazil’s adoration of Ayrton Senna transcends sports. Senna won three Formula One titles — in 1988, 1990 and '91 — all with McLaren. He moved to the Williams team for his tragic 1994 season. Despite his career being cut short when he was 34, his 41 wins stand third all-time behind Michael Schumacher's 91 and rival Alain Prost's 51. He died at the 1994 San Marino Grand Prix. (AP Photo/JEAN-MARC FOLLETE, File)The Associated Press

FILE - In this May 31, 1992 file photo, Brazilian driver Ayrton Senna raises his fist to salute the crowd after he won the Monaco Formula One Grand Prix on his McLaren-Honda. Brazil’s adoration of Ayrton Senna transcends sports. Senna won three Formula One titles — in 1988, 1990 and '91 — all with McLaren. He moved to the Williams team for his tragic 1994 season. Despite his career being cut short when he was 34, his 41 wins stand third all-time behind Michael Schumacher's 91 and rival Alain Prost's 51. He died at the 1994 San Marino Grand Prix. (AP Photo/JEAN-MARC FOLLETE, File)

FILE - In this April 11, 1986, file photo, Brazilian driver Ayrton Senna concentrates before time trials for Sunday's Spanish Grand Prix as John Player publicity girls surround his Lotus-Renault. Senna finished first in the trials. Brazil’s adoration of Ayrton Senna transcends sports. Senna won three Formula One titles — in 1988, 1990 and '91 — all with McLaren. He moved to the Williams team for his tragic 1994 season. Despite his career being cut short when he was 34, his 41 wins stand third all-time behind Michael Schumacher's 91 and rival Alain Prost's 51. He died at the 1994 San Marino Grand Prix. (AP Photo/Ricardo, File)The Associated Press

FILE - In this April 11, 1986, file photo, Brazilian driver Ayrton Senna concentrates before time trials for Sunday's Spanish Grand Prix as John Player publicity girls surround his Lotus-Renault. Senna finished first in the trials. Brazil’s adoration of Ayrton Senna transcends sports. Senna won three Formula One titles — in 1988, 1990 and '91 — all with McLaren. He moved to the Williams team for his tragic 1994 season. Despite his career being cut short when he was 34, his 41 wins stand third all-time behind Michael Schumacher's 91 and rival Alain Prost's 51. He died at the 1994 San Marino Grand Prix. (AP Photo/Ricardo, File)

FILE - In this May 1, 1994, file photo, Race officials run toward Brazil's Aytron Senna after he crashed with his Williams-Renault during the San Marino F-1 Grand Prix in Imola. Senna died at a Bologna hospital later. Nearly three years after the fatal crash, six top Formula One figures, including Frank Williams, head of the successful Williams-Renault team, face manslaughter carges in a trial starting in Imola Thursday, February 20, 1997. (AP Photo/file)The Associated Press

FILE - In this May 1, 1994, file photo, Race officials run toward Brazil's Aytron Senna after he crashed with his Williams-Renault during the San Marino F-1 Grand Prix in Imola. Senna died at a Bologna hospital later. Nearly three years after the fatal crash, six top Formula One figures, including Frank Williams, head of the successful Williams-Renault team, face manslaughter carges in a trial starting in Imola Thursday, February 20, 1997. (AP Photo/file)

FILE - In this May 13, 1984, file photo, Brazilian Formula One race driver Ayrton Senna da Silva, center, holds up the winner's crown after he won the Mercedes 190 E race in Nuremberg, Germany ahead of former world champion Niki Lauda, second from left. At the right, smiling German transport minister Werner Dollinger. Senna won three Formula One titles — in 1988, 1990 and '91 — all with McLaren. He moved to the Williams team for his tragic 1994 season. Despite his career being cut short when he was 34, his 41 wins stand third all-time behind Michael Schumacher's 91 and rival Alain Prost's 51. He died at the 1994 San Marino Grand Prix. (AP Photo/Udo Weitz, File)The Associated Press

FILE - In this May 13, 1984, file photo, Brazilian Formula One race driver Ayrton Senna da Silva, center, holds up the winner's crown after he won the Mercedes 190 E race in Nuremberg, Germany ahead of former world champion Niki Lauda, second from left. At the right, smiling German transport minister Werner Dollinger. Senna won three Formula One titles — in 1988, 1990 and '91 — all with McLaren. He moved to the Williams team for his tragic 1994 season. Despite his career being cut short when he was 34, his 41 wins stand third all-time behind Michael Schumacher's 91 and rival Alain Prost's 51. He died at the 1994 San Marino Grand Prix. (AP Photo/Udo Weitz, File)

FILE - In this May 7, 1989 file photo, Prince Albert of Monaco, left, applauds Brazil’s Ayrton Senna, center, winner of the Monaco formula One grand prix ahead of Prost, right, on the podium in Monaco. Despite his career being cut short when he was 34, his 41 wins stand third all-time behind Michael Schumacher's 91 and rival Alain Prost's 51. He died at the 1994 San Marino Grand Prix. (AP Photo/Gilbert Tourte, File)The Associated Press

FILE - In this May 7, 1989 file photo, Prince Albert of Monaco, left, applauds Brazil’s Ayrton Senna, center, winner of the Monaco formula One grand prix ahead of Prost, right, on the podium in Monaco. Despite his career being cut short when he was 34, his 41 wins stand third all-time behind Michael Schumacher's 91 and rival Alain Prost's 51. He died at the 1994 San Marino Grand Prix. (AP Photo/Gilbert Tourte, File)

SAO PAULO (AP) — Brazil's adoration of Ayrton Senna transcends sports. It's something only someone like Pele can relate to in the country of football.

When hundreds of thousands of people lined up for hours just to take a final glimpse of Senna's body before his funeral, they were paying tribute to more than a three-time Formula One champion who was killed in a crash on May 1, 1994.

To Brazilians, Senna was more than a great sports idol. He personified pride and patriotism.

Every time he pulled the country's green-and-yellow flag to celebrate his victories on the track, Brazilians rejoiced back home with another triumph by the local hero succeeding abroad.

At a time when Brazil's national team had few victories to celebrate on the football field and the country endured political and economic turmoil, it was Senna who gave Brazilians reason to cheer.

"He was the Brazilian who made it," said Galvao Bueno, the voice of F1 in Brazilian television and Senna's close friend. "He was the Brazilian who went abroad and did better than the Europeans."

Senna's sudden death at the San Marino Grand Prix 20 years ago did more than shock the entire country. It dealt a blow to the pride of a generation of Brazilians who grew up waking up on Sundays expecting to hear Brazil's national anthem after another Senna victory.

"His determination, perfectionism, sense of justice and patriotism made Ayrton a very special person to Brazilians," said Bruno Senna, who was 10 when his uncle died.

"There is this nostalgia and unforgettable memories of his great overtaking maneuvers, great races and great qualifying runs," said Bruno, who also became a race driver and briefly drove for the same Williams team that his uncle was driving for when he died. "But there's also the legacy of his personality away from the track. He was successful in the sport but at the same time was able to transcend that to become an example of life principles."

What happened in the days following Senna's death was symbolic of what he meant to the nation.

The Brazilian government immediately declared three days of mourning and said it would give Senna the same honor as heads of states.

In a decisive football match just after news of his death started spreading, nearly 60,000 fans left their teams' rivalry behind and started chanting, "Ole, ole, ole, ole, Senna, Senna." The tribute came even though Senna was an avid Corinthians fan and the teams playing that afternoon were Palmeiras and Sao Paulo.

When his body arrived from Italy, authorities estimated that more than a million people lined the streets of Sao Paulo to bid farewell as Senna's coffin was transported atop a firefighter's truck, draped with the Brazilian flag. Television channels were broadcasting live as fans sobbed, waved flags and tossed flowers as the truck went by. Thousands of cars followed behind, honking horns.

During Senna's memorial services, more than 200,000 people stood in line for hours just to spend about 10 seconds in front of the coffin for a last tribute. Many celebrities, sporting figures and top government officials attended the services, including then-Brazilian President Itamar Franco.